Organizer basket for ice chests

ABSTRACT

The organizer basket for ice chest provides a receptacle or basket for use in ice chests or coolers. The basket is provided with handles to facilitate insertion and removal from the ice chest. Feet are also provided for the basket to support the bottom of the basket above the floor of the ice chest. The basket is constructed of telescoping sections so that the length of the basket can be linearly adjusted. This arrangement permits the basket to adapt to different sizes of ice chests.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 61/482,507, filed May 4, 2011.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to accessories for ice chests or coolers, and particularly to an organizer basket for ice chests.

2. Description of the Related Art

The ice chest or cooler is a ubiquitous adjunct at picnics, cookouts, camping trips, fishing outings and many other recreational (and non-recreational) endeavors. Conventionally, ice is disposed in the ice chest to keep beverages cold and to prevent foodstuffs from deteriorating in taste or outright spoiling. Unfortunately, water from the melting ice can soak through and essentially ruin foodstuffs, even if the foodstuffs are wrapped. This scenario also creates an environment for potential contamination because bacteria can more easily spread in the water from one item to the next. At best, the situation is one of messy inconvenience. Organizing the contents of the cooler in a way that prevents melted ice water from directly contacting foodstuffs is desirable. Thus, an organizer basket for ice chests solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The organizer basket for ice chests is a receptacle or basket for use in ice chests or coolers. The basket is provided with handles to facilitate insertion and removal from the ice chest. Feet are also provided for the basket to support the bottom of the basket above the floor of the ice chest. The space created between the bottom of the basket and the floor of the chest is utilized as a primary ice storage area outside the basket. This helps to reduce the weight of the basket and enhances removal thereof. The basket is constructed of telescoping sections so that it can be linearly adjusted. This arrangement permits the basket to adapt to different sizes of ice chests.

Accordingly, the invention provides an organizer basket of open-work construction that can be adjusted to fit most conventional ice chests. The basket is fabricated from durable, rust-resistant material. The open-work structure of the basket will allow melt water to pass through the basket to the floor of the ice chest. Feet are disposed on the bottom of the basket to support the bottom above the floor of the ice chest to create a primary storage area for the ice (cubed, crushed, dry, etc.) and separate the contents of the basket from the ice. A secondary ice storage area can be in the basket itself, if desired_(—) The invention provides for improved elements thereof in an arrangement for the purposes described that are inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing their intended purposes.

These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of an organizer basket for ice chests according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an organizer basket for ice chests according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded, perspective view of an organizer basket for ice chests according to the present invention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the organizer basket for ice chests is generally indicated at 10. The basket 10 is adapted to be removably housed in a conventional ice chest C. As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the basket is of open-work structure and is constructed from two end sections or components 12 and 18. The two components are assembled in telescopic fashion to form a rectangular receptacle having an open top. As illustrated, the components 12 and 18 are preferably constructed of rust-resistant wire rods. It should be recognized, however, that other conventional materials (perforated expanded metal, plastic, etc.) may be employed, if suitable.

The first component 12 is a generally rectangular unit having opposing sidewalls 12 a, a bottom wall 12 b, a single end wall 14 a, and an open-end 14 b opposite the end wall 14 a. A respective support foot 16 is positioned on the outer surface at each corner of the bottom wall 12 b adjacent to the end wall 14 a. A foldable handle 17 is disposed on the end wall 14 a adjacent the top edge thereof.

The second component 18 is also configured as a generally rectangular unit having opposing sidewalls 18 a, a bottom wall 18 b, a single end wall 20 a, and an open-end 20 b opposite the end wall 20 a. A respective support foot 22 is positioned on the outer surface of the bottom wall 18 b adjacent each corner thereof, both adjacent the end wall 20 a and adjacent the open end 20 b. A respective track, channel, or keyway 24 is disposed on the top edge of each sidewall 18 a. Each keyway 24 is coextensive with the length of each respective sidewall 18 a. The keyways 24 are adapted to telescopically and slidably receive the top edges or top rails of sidewalls 12 a therein when the components 12, 18 are assembled. The components 12 and 18 may be joined together by friction fit to define a rectangular basket 10 of user-selectable length, or, optionally, releasable latches or a track and slider with detent stops may be provided to lock the components 12 and 18 together at the desired length. A foldable handle 26 is disposed on the end wall 20 a adjacent the top edge thereof. Removable partitions 30 may be provided to compartmentalize the basket 10, if desired.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. 

1. An organizer basket for ice chests, comprising: a first component having two opposing elongated sidewalls, a bottom wall joining the sidewalls, a single end wall attached to the bottom wall and opposing sidewalls at one end of the sidewalls, and an open end opposite the single end wall; a second component having two opposing elongated sidewalls, a bottom wall joining the opposing sidewalls, a single end wall attached to the bottom wall and opposing sidewalls at one end of the sidewalls, and an open end opposite the single end wall; a respective keyway positioned on each of the two sidewalls of the first component, each of the keyways telescopically and slidably receiving a respective one of the sidewalls of the second component therein to define a rectangular basket of user-selectable length; a plurality of feet disposed on the first component adjacent both the first component end wall and the open end of the first component; and a plurality of feet disposed on the second component adjacent the second component end wall.
 2. The organizer basket for an ice chest according to claim 1, wherein said first component and said second component have open tops.
 3. The organizer basket for an ice chest according to claim 1, further including at least one partition member removably insertable between the sidewalls of said basket, thereby forming compartments in said basket.
 4. The organizer basket for an ice chest according to claim 1, wherein said first component and said second component are of open-work construction and are fabricated from a rust resistant material.
 5. The organizer basket for an ice chest according to claim 1, further including a first handle attached to the end wall of said first component and a second handle attached to the end wall of said second component.
 6. An organizer basket for ice chests, comprising: a first component of open-work construction, fabricated from a rust resistant material, the first component having an open top, two opposing elongated sidewalls, a bottom wall joining the sidewalls, a single end wall attached to the bottom wall and opposing sidewalls at one end of the sidewalls, and an open end opposite the single end wall; a second component of open-work construction, fabricated from a rust resistant material, the second component having an open top, two opposing elongated sidewalls, a bottom wall joining the opposing sidewalls, a single end wall attached to the bottom wall and opposing sidewalls at one end of the sidewalls, and an open end opposite the single end wall; a keyway positioned on each of the two sidewalls of the first component, respectively, each of the keyways telescopically and slidably receiving a top edge of one of the sidewalls of the second component, respectively, to define a rectangular basket of user-selectable length; a plurality of feet disposed on the first component adjacent both the first component end wall and the open end of the first component; and a plurality of feet disposed on the second component adjacent the second component end wall.
 7. The organizer basket for an ice chest according to claim 6, further including at least one partition member of open-work construction removably insertable between the sidewalls of said basket, thereby forming compartments in said basket.
 8. The organizer basket for an ice chest according to claim 7, further including a first foldable handle attached to the end wall of said first component and a second foldable handle attached to the end wall of said second component.
 9. The organizer basket for an ice chest according to claim 7, wherein each of the two sidewalls of said first component has a respective length and wherein each keyway is coextensive with the length of the corresponding sidewall.
 10. An organizer basket for ice chests, comprising: a first component fabricated from rust-resistant wire rods, the first component having an open top, two opposing elongated sidewalls, a bottom wall joining the sidewalls, a single end wall attached to the bottom wall and opposing sidewalls at one end of the sidewalls, and an open end opposite the single end wall, each of the sidewalls having a top edge; a first foldable handle attached to the single end wall of the first component; a second component of open-work construction, fabricated from rust resistant wire rods, the second component having an open top, two opposing elongated sidewalls, a bottom wall joining the opposing sidewalls, a single end wall attached to the bottom wall and opposing sidewalls at one end of the sidewalls, and an open end opposite the single end wall, each of the sidewalls having a top edge; a second foldable handle attached to the single end wall of the second component; a channel disposed on the top edge of each of the two sidewalls of the first component, respectively, each of the channels telescopically and slidably receiving at least a portion of the top edge of one of the sidewalls of the second component, respectively, to define a rectangular basket of user-selectable length; a plurality of feet disposed on the first component adjacent both the first component end wall and the open end of the first component; and a plurality of feet disposed on the second component adjacent the second component end wall.
 11. The organizer basket for an ice chest according to claim 10, further including at least one partition member fabricated from rust resistant wire rods, the at least one partition member being removably insertable between the sidewalls of said basket to form compartments in said basket.
 12. The organizer basket for an ice chest according to claim 10, wherein each of the two sidewalls of said first component has a length, and wherein each of the channels is coextensive with the length of the sidewalls of said first component.
 13. The organizer basket for an ice chest according to claim 12, where said first and second components frictionally engage each other to selectively fix the user-selectable length of said rectangular basket. 